Some 1980s television viewers will best remember her as Christine Cagney, the gritty blonde cop on "Cagney and Lacey," while others around town surely know her best as Debbie Novotny, the proud, rainbow-flag-waving mother of a gay man on Showtime's "Queer as Folk."

Still others with a more current eye on cable television will know her as the domineering, chain-smoking mother of a former spy on the current hit show, "Burn Notice."

But on Wednesday, Sharon Gless will play herself when she visits with audiences at the Tropic Cinema before the screening of her new independent film, "Hannah Free," which premieres in Florida as part of Key West's Womenfest.

"I'm really excited to be there," Gless told The Citizen last week from the apartment she has maintained in Toronto ever since she fell in love with the city while filming "Queer as Folk." "And I just found out that Kelly McGillis is going to introduce me. I've never met Kelly, but I'm thrilled."

Gless is an easy-to-talk-to celebrity, who credited her friend Claudia Allen for writing the play that eventually became the film "Hannah Free."

"It's an amazing play, and as soon as Claudia told me they were turning one of her plays into a movie, I said I would do it before I even knew which one it was," Gless said, laughing and marveling at how the entire film was shot in 18 days, in one location for about $200,000.

"Thirty percent of the crew worked as volunteers," she said. "It was truly amazing."

The film follows a 60-year relationship between two women who are deeply in love, but frequently separated by politics, society and their own preconceptions about how life is and how it could be.

Gless plays the free-spirited and eventually out lesbian, Hannah, who roams the world and learns how much more progressive life can be outside the small Minnesota town where she grew up with her best friend, Rachel, who ignored her true love and pursued a more conservative life of marriage and family.

By the end of the film, the two women end up in the same nursing home, with Rachel in a coma and Hannah denied access to the love of her life who is in the same building, but protected by Rachel's guarded daughter.

The film sheds light on many ongoing gay-rights issues, such as end-of-life decisions and rights that often are not afforded to same-sex domestic partnerships.

Though not a lesbian, Gless has championed gay rights issues for decades, and has sailed aboard Rosie O'Donnell's gay cruises.

"Rosie and I are friends, and I once asked her, 'Rosie, are you sure I'm not gay?' "

"She was sure," Gless said, laughing.

"Hannah Free" has been traveling the country and screening at various gay/lesbian film festivals. Key West's Tropic Cinema will host the film's Florida premier. The theater has partnered with Studios of Key West to present the film.

"We've joined together rather naturally to make this special event come to life, and to celebrate independent film-making, women filmmakers and truly extraordinary storytelling," said Matthew Helmerich, executive director of the Tropic Cinema.

McGillis will introduce the film for its 6:30 p.m. showing on Wednesday. Afterward, Gless, along with director Wendy Jo Carlton and producer Tracy Baim will answer questions from the audience.

The film will be shown again at 9 p.m. Wednesday, and at 6:30 and 9 p.m. on Thursday.

For more information, go to http://www.keywestfilm.org.

mbolen@keysnews.com